My Husband Worked For Me For 11 Months After Losing His Job – Businesswoman
A Nigerian entrepreneur, Bunmi George, popularly known as Jbums, has revealed that her husband worked at her company and earned a salary for 11 months after losing his job as a pilot.
Speaking on the Dear Ife podcast hosted by Ife Agoro and published on Monday, the fitness expert described the period as one that ultimately strengthened their marriage.
George said her husband took practical steps to help the family adjust to living on a single income, including reducing household expenses and working in her business.
She recalled that her husband’s first response after losing his job was to review the family’s finances.
“He had a meeting with me and said, ‘We have to cut down our expenses.’ First of all, we had two cars, and he said one had to go,” she said.
According to her, her husband also proposed reducing the number of domestic staff because the family could no longer sustain its previous lifestyle.
“I told him, ‘I’m still making money now. I’m still working.’ But he said, ‘There’s only one income, so everything must be cut down,’” she recalled.
George said her husband did not merely introduce cost-cutting measures but also led by example by taking on more responsibilities at home.
“He was not just saying, ‘This is what we are going to do.’ He was showing me that it was possible. He took up a lot of responsibility around the house, and he was willing to do it,” she said.
She disclosed that her husband later joined her company, Shredder Gang, where he worked alongside other employees and received a salary.
“One of the things that blows people’s minds is that he actually came to work for my company. He used to come to the office, and he was earning a salary,” she said.
The fitness expert added that her husband sometimes handled product deliveries himself without customers realising who he was.
“Sometimes he would have to go and do deliveries. Some people actually got deliveries from my husband personally. They didn’t know he was doing delivery work,” she said.
George described her husband’s decision as an act of humility and leadership.
“I thought that was humility. That was a leader. He didn’t just sit at home. He came to work for his wife and did whatever was needed,” she said.
J Bums said she was careful to continue treating her husband with respect despite becoming the family’s sole breadwinner during that period.
“I believe my husband is a leader, and leadership is not about how much money you make. It’s about the position that you have in the home,” she said.
She explained that she became more intentional about her words and actions to avoid hurting him emotionally.
“I had to be extra careful. Not because he had an issue with working for me, but I wanted to make sure that I still honoured him during that time,” she said.
Reflecting on the experience, the entrepreneur said the difficult season ultimately brought them closer as a couple.
“We went through that process, and that process actually brought us closer. I thank God for that time. If I had to live that period again, I wouldn’t change it,” she said.
She added that throughout his period of unemployment, her husband remained active by praying, fasting, helping with household chores and preparing the family for future challenges.
“He wasn’t just sitting there being depressed. He was praying, cooking, cleaning and leading by example. He told me, ‘Should anything ever happen to me, I want you to know how to lead. I’m going to show you how,” she said.
